Indonesian church and ecumenical leader Rev. Simon Tarigan passes away

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

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23 August 2022
Rev. Simon Tarigan

The Rev. Simon Tarigan, a prominent Indonesian church and ecumenical leader and the former General Secretary of the Karo Batak Protestant Church (GBKP), passed away on 13 August 2022 at Sukamakmur, Indonesia. He was 67.

Rev. Simon Tarigan served two terms, from 2005 to 2010, and from 2010 to 2015, as General Secretary of the GBKP. He was a representative on the North Sumatra regional council of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI).

His most recent active involvement was as the General Chairperson of the GBKP Elderly Fellowship (Saitun).

After earning his Bachelor's in Theology degree from the Jakarta Theological Seminary in 1982, he was ordained as the pastor of the GBKP Sukanalu Congregation in North Sumatra, Indonesia.

Tarigan dedicated his life to serving the church and God’s people until the moment of his death. His sudden demise occurred immediately after giving a welcome address at the opening of the new GBKP Elderly Fellowship Office.

The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) conveyed heartfelt condolences to Rev. Simon Taringan’s friends and family, as well as to the faithful members of the GBKP and leaders of PGI.

While we lament the loss of a committed church and ecumenical leader, a father, a pastor, a friend, and a fellow labourer in God's vineyard, we find solace in the words of Jesus Christ, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” (John 11:25)